Italian Super Cup (Supercoppa Italiana)

In Italy, every year in August since 1998, the two teams who won the Serie A and the Coppa Italia in the previous season play a pre-season football competition held the week before the season begins: the acknowledged Italian Super Cup!

The two teams usually play at the home of the Serie A champions, even though in 1993 the Super Cup was played in Washington D.C., and in 2003 it was held in New York (that edition was won by F.C. Juventus who defeated A.C. Milan).

A.C. Milan has won the Italian Super Cup most of the times, five times since the competition began in 1988.

Last year, in August 2007, the 20th edition was played in Milan, at San Siro; the Cup was won by A.S. Roma, Coppa Italia champions.

The next Italian Super Cup (the 21st edition) will be held in Milan again, at San Siro Stadium; the match will be played on August 24th between A.S. Roma and Inter.

Totti, the most famous italian football player of the Roman team, is not sure to play this very first match of the new season because he snapped his anterior cruciate ligament during a match against Livorno at the end of April, and had to undergo surgery. It was originally estimated that he would be out of action for up to six months, however his recovery is going so well that it has been reported that he will be fit to lead his side in the Italian Supercup.

Infact, on the most recent tests, Totti is running again and has already started working with the ball. By the way, did you know that Francesco Totti, who also is a father, is an active member of the UNICEF in Rome ?

He is doing his best in order to play this match, training very hard; everyone knows how important it is to have Totti in the team; he scored 14 Serie A goals last season from just 25 games.

So if you are a fan of "calcio" (name for soccer or football in italian) you may just want to come to Italy to enjoy the best players in action and book your hotel in Milan.